Iranians marking Sizdah Bedar by going outdoors

This file photo shows children watching as families camp outdoors on Sizdah Bedar.

Iranian people are celebrating Sizdah Bedar, the traditional Persian festival of nature, by spending time outdoors with family and friends.

The ancient Iranian festival was held on Sunday, which this year marks the 13th day of Farvardin the first month on the Persian calendar.

The festivities include picnicking outdoors in parks, valleys, mountainsides, or the countryside.

Sizdah Bedar gives Iranians a chance to play outdoor games, have special food, and enjoy the fresh springtime air. It is also referred to as Nature’s Day.

Ash-e reshteh, a popular Iranian stew made of noodles, greens and beans, and covered with curd, in addition to lettuce with sekanjabin, a traditional Iranian syrup made of honey and vinegar, are eaten by many people on this day.

Sizdah Bedar marks the end of the two-week Persian New Year (Nowruz) Spring holidays and has deep roots in Iranian history.

An Iranian family picnicking outdoors on Sizdah Bedar, the last day of Nowruz holidays.

Nowruz itself has been known for over 3,000 years and is celebrated worldwide, not only by the Iranians, but also by other groups and ethnic communities living in Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea region, and the Balkans.

Nowruz marks the first day of Farvardin and is the day of the vernal equinox marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

It usually falls on March 21. Families gather together on this day to observe rituals and celebrate.